How about a Blockbuster season opener played in the US?

[MotlopRules]

Why do we even care what the yanks think about our game?

 

[bali-dog]

as mentioned in another post...there are expat generated AFL teams around the USA, and canada,that have as many yanks if not more,including some fully yank teams with aussie expat coaches from a doco i saw..
but to fill a stadium,or have the right playing grounds/surface etc, is another thing...
turn it around..for a true perspective..what if the NBL held a blockbuster here?what would the turn up be?
my point being usa is very parochial in many ways,and their (sporting) culture deeply entrenched..as is ours here..to effect any major change would have to be done at grassroots level i.e-expat footy teams...for example there is already an asian AFL yearly comp/finals/playoff etc between Bali,Jakarta,singapore,KL?,Hongkong,Thailand..i think vietnam and china have teams too..this in turn spreads out into local culture as more and more locals play or are introduced to the game..its happening,slowly,by stealth.

 

[The Kipster]

I have some jousting sticks for $300, if interested?

 

[madhawkboy]

How about a Pre-season game.

 

[boric1]

Would struggle to get 10,000 people there.

Im sure it would do far better in the US then Dubai (sorry about spelling if wrong)

 

[Wetdog]

Play it in L.A under lights during the 'Australia Week'. Give the tickets away. Get some movie stars to promote it. It would be interesting but a tough market to crack. They are only interested in their own hybrid sports.

Personally, I recon your better off trying to develop the game in New Zealand or South Africa.

 

[flamethrower]

NAB Cup only. Not enough interest over there for a regular season game.

The biggest hurdle is finding a suitable stadium. Baseball ballparks are the wrong shape, and NFL fields are too small and the wrong shape. The LA Coliseum would probably be the best bet, but 5000 ex pat Aussies and a handful of local Angelinos would look lost in a 92,000 seat stadium.

 

[large]

america should not be allowed to come in to contact with AFL. They have ruined enough already.

 

[JeffDunne]

Why do we even care what the yanks think about our game?

Because as a country we have an inferiority complex almost as large as the continent.


India is the market we should be after.

They have the grounds, population, shared sporting culture and they hate anything American.

 

[magic_johnson!]

Here's the list of international crowds:

• Canada - 32,789 (1987). Melbourne v. Sydney (B.C. Place, Vancouver)
• Japan - 25,000 (1986). Carlton v. Hawthorn (Yokohama Stadium, Tokyo)
• United Kingdom - 18,884 (2005). West Coast v. Fremantle (The Oval, London)
• USA - 14,787 (1990). Melbourne v. West Coast (Civic Stadium, Portland)
• New Zealand - 11,666 (2000). Bulldogs v. Hawthorn. (Westpac Stadium, Wellington)
• South Africa - 10,123 (1998). Brisbane v. Fremantle. (Cape Town)
• United Arab Emirates - 6,102 (2008). Collingwood v. Adelaide. (Ghantoot Racing & Polo Club, Abu Dhabi)

I'd much prefer one in New Zealand myself. An actual expansion option. The US is just too impossible. Interesting as to how the Canada match got 32,000. How many of them were free entries?

 

[bali-dog]

Because as a country we have an inferiority complex almost as large as the continent.


India is the market we should be after.

They have the grounds, population, shared sporting culture and they hate anything American.

haha..not sure if youre out fishin', but i love it, it makes perfect sense..
like cricket theyd be worthy opponents..and currently full of an overinflated sense of national pride etc because theyve become a superpower with a bomb,Bollywood,and a roaring middleclass/economy..another topic,we wont go there.

 

[JeffDunne]

No I'm dead serious, India makes perfect sense.


Even the threat of terrorism wouldn't be an issue, just send teams nobody would miss until they sort that problem out.

 

[snrub]

they wouldnt have a blockbuster game there
it would be a nothing match (any 5 of Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, Melbourne or North Melbourne playing)

I like the idea, BUT I just cant see us doing it

Yeah maybe, but I'm tipping North Melbourne would push for it over about 10 years, then when it looks like a winning idea with lots of support and momentum, the AFL will finally relent and give it to Carlton vs Richmond, then tell North that they might get a look in once the game is established. By which time, it will be considered a "traditional" blockbuster and no-one else will get near it.

 

[Plogs]

I have some jousting sticks for $300, if interested?

You're dreaming.....

 

[Chander Bing]

Maybe Collingwood could play the Yankees.

Jeter would make a great ruck rover.

 

[snrub]

No I'm dead serious, India makes perfect sense.


Even the threat of terrorism wouldn't be an issue, just send teams nobody would miss until they sort that problem out.

I worry that your first sentence applies to your second sentence. Get help. Quick.

 

[winty]

Should have a game between the Bulldogs and Sydney if they were going to have a game in the US. The Yanks would get behind the Bulldogs considering they wear red, white and blue, while any Canadians who are interested can get behind the Swans.

 

[kira]

Collingwood and Carlton you say

send them to the middle of Gaza, Pyongyang or Baghdad

if they don't return, meh


but back on topic.... play a game in the US, obvious question.... why?

 

[JeffDunne]

I worry that your first sentence applies to your second sentence. Get help. Quick.

I will if you seek professional help for that massive inferiority complex you're dragging around.

Deal?

 

[mushda]

Err, pardon my ignorance, but why exactly do we want to play a regular season game in America? I can't really picture a land chock full of its own major sports being fertile ground for expanding the code.

I don't know about everyone else but I'd rather keep games of the Australian Football League in Australia!

 

[weagles_fan]

Err, pardon my ignorance, but why exactly do we want to play a regular season game in America? I can't really picture a land chock full of its own major sports being fertile ground for expanding the code.

I don't know about everyone else but I'd rather keep games of the Australian Football League in Australia!

The same reason why the AFL has created GWS and GC - $$$$$$$$$$

 

[Riggy1]

NAB Cup only. Not enough interest over there for a regular season game.

The biggest hurdle is finding a suitable stadium. Baseball ballparks are the wrong shape, and NFL fields are too small and the wrong shape. The LA Coliseum would probably be the best bet, but 5000 ex pat Aussies and a handful of local Angelinos would look lost in a 92,000 seat stadium.

I heard of this place which may be suitbale. 5,000 permantent seats, up to 20,000 seats can be put in place if needed. And after looking on Google Earth it's basically a 150m x 150m circle

 

[Pie eyed]

No I'm dead serious, India makes perfect sense.


Even the threat of terrorism wouldn't be an issue, just send teams nobody would miss until they sort that problem out.

Freo and Port for the first couple of years and then GC17 and WS.

Trouble is though would this really be advancing the game or the opposite?

 

[mushda]

The same reason why the AFL has created GWS and GC - $$$$$$$$$$

Yeah, not too hard to figure out why the AFL would be interested, but I can't see why the average fan such as the thread starter would.

 

[True Blue Cat]

Quite frankly i don't think it would matter who the teams were that played. If it was in America who plays isn't going to affect the crowd at all unlike how it would in Australia.

However what would be the point? They would never build up a big enough crowd base in the area they were playing the games each year to make it profitable.